1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention directs itself to flexible optical filter systems and the storage thereof. In particular, this invention directs itself to a compact storage system having a unitary longitudinally extended housing and a flexible filter member reversibly extendible from within the housing. Still further, this invention directs itself to flexible optical filter storage systems wherein the flexible filter member forms a one-piece singular member being concurrently displaceable over and retractable from both lenses of a pair of eyeglasses, or both eyes of the user. More in particular, this invention pertains to flexible optical filter storage systems deployable as sunglasses which can be clipped onto glasses or in another embodiment may have ear support members extendable from the unitary housing to form standard sunglasses.
2. PRIOR ART
Flexible optical filters and storage systems are known in the art. The best prior art known to the Applicant include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,603,672; 2,423,272; 1,969,710; 1,588,685; 4,217,037; 4,730,915; 4,685,782; 2,511,329; 2,444,512; 1,596,810; 1,441,487; 1,476,336; 1,571,019; and, 3,183,033.
Some prior art such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,672 are directed to devices for controlling the amount of light rays in an optical instrument. A pair of flexible filter elements are each separately supported between a pair of spools which are fitted to a pair of ordinary glasses by means of resilient clips. The filter element has different characteristics throughout its length, the portion having the desired characteristic being adjusted to overlay the respective lenses of the glasses. Thus, this system does not truly provide a means for storage of the optical filter when solar protection is not required, as a transparent portion is selected to overlay the lens when protection is not required.
In other prior art systems such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,423,272, flexible filter elements are combined with ordinary spectacles. Although in this system, the flexible filter element may be retracted on a spool located within a housing, the housing is not removable from the spectacles. Further, the filter element for each lens is independent and not displaced over the lenses in a concurrent fashion.